Guitar EQ tutorial video

[mickrich]

I have noticed a lot of people posting mixes with "static resonances" in the guitars lately.
These resonances really collapse the stereo image and are also a dead giveaway of amp sims (or axeFX or Kemper)

I decided to record a quick demo of the way I EQ guitars.
It will be useful for my students in college too.
Using Jeff's Rose of Sharyn tracks and TSE X50 V2.
I am using the TMS_Recto_Cranked IR that I made for Onqel which is the default IR when you load X50. Screamer on default settings, X50 mids at 3 and everything else default.

First up I solo the guitar and find the frequencies I want for high and low pass filters.
Next I do a small, wide boost to enhance the clarity and presence of the guitars.
I then narrow boost and sweep the high mids to find the static sshhhh then cut narrow.
Next I find the cabinet thump in the low end that masks the kick and bass and use a narrow cut.
Then, in the context of the mix, I boost the mids and find the frequency that is doing the most damage to the clarity of the snare then cut.

After all this is done, I switch the eq in and out on the soloed guitars then in the context of the mix.

All this presumes good source sound which, of course, X50V2 gives.
With badly recorded tracks you may need more cuts to kill bad frequencies.

Video. Play in browser or download (I don't use youtube)
https://copy.com/Wf1B6Jw71pQSbqRS

 

[kass]

Awesome. Thanks so much!

 

[Vihaleipä]

Thanks for the tutorial mickrich! My guitar tracks definitely sound much better now.

 

[xplanet2112]

By how many dBs do you boost when jogging the EQ to find the bad frequencies?

I tend to go at least 10 dBs and find a frequency that makes my ears bleed and cut that, this is usually in regards to both the low end cab thump and high mid frequencies, that the idea?

Anyways, thanks for posting. I'm working on some material that was recorded nearly 18 years ago and all I can hear in the guitars are bad frequencies so this helps and confirms too.

 

[TPMusic]

The only thing I don't do is that small wide boost to enhance clarity... I will have to try that out! Thanks for the info!

 

[Habsburgs]

the before sounds better in my opinion

 

[FIXXXER]

I have noticed a lot of people posting mixes with "static resonances" in the guitars lately.
These resonances really collapse the stereo image and are also a dead giveaway of amp sims (or axeFX or Kemper)

could you explain this more detailed?

 

[FrankTheSmith]

I thought everyone was already doing high Q "surgical" EQing. Finding ugly resonances and notching them out.

 

[mickrich]

Thanks for the comments

I tend to go at least 10 dBs and find a frequency that makes my ears bleed and cut that, this is usually in regards to both the low end cab thump and high mid frequencies, that the idea?

Exactly

The only thing I don't do is that small wide boost to enhance clarity... I will have to try that out! Thanks for the info!

Your hearing is most sensitive in the 2-5K region so a little boost there will make the guitar appear louder in the mix

the before sounds better in my opinion

I would have to disagree.
From a psychoacoustics point of view the EQed sound will make your overall mix seem louder than the duller guitar in the mix.
Also, you may think the EQed sound is too bright and the original is "fatter"
Hearing is very much based on contrast.
IE the EQed sound appears too bright because the original sound was too dark.
If a sound is too bright and you darken it, this effect is very obvious.
When you darken a sound then take a break and listen to the dark sound then turn off the EQ, the original sound will appears too bright and harsh.
I have done this with my students when I teach my class on psychoacoustics in a mix.
Alternatively, you may just prefer the original sound which is fine too.
There is no right or wrong, just preference

could you explain this more detailed?

If there is a static shhh that is always at the same frequency when the guitar chords change, this will cloud the mix and the ear will be drawn to it.
Finding and pulling this frequency gives clarity to the guitars (and the mix).
As I said, amp sims are especially prone to this phenomenon.
In the case of my video example, this static resonance is at about 2k.
Overheads are very prone to static resonances too and I always "seek and destroy" them too.

I thought everyone was already doing high Q "surgical" EQing. Finding ugly resonances and notching them out.

It takes experience to "hear" the frequencies that should be notched out.
When doing EQ with my students, a lot of them can't hear problem frequencies but it becomes obvious to them when we notch out resonances and listen for a while with EQ in then bypass it.

I normally do this kind of EQ very quickly, like the video example, to keep my ears fresh.
If you spend too long sweeping big narrow boosts you will need a break to refresh.
In case it was wasn't clear enough in the video, it is best to get rid of resonances with the guitars in solo, whereas the overall mid eq is best done in the context of the mix.

 

[hoehlentroll]

hey mickrich. thanks a lot. do you mind me posting that on youtube.com? showing YOUR credits of course!

 

[NecroDM]

Simple and informative, nice
Thanks mickrich!

 

[xplanet2112]

When you are boosting, how can you be sure that you are not hearing the resonant frequencies of inadequate speakers?

I am mixing something recorded about 17 years ago n I am finding the same ear bleeding inducing frequencies in each guitar track. What I have been doing is checking in headphones as a second opinion so to speak and I am reasonably convinced that I am hitting the cab and room rather than my wonderful M-Audio AV 40s(lol).

So, any tips apart from get better speakers??

 

[Trevoire520]

Good video Mick, this is pretty much the same as what I do. I find strumming sections from a chorus are often the easiest place to hear these ringing nodes, listening at low volume really helps too. I'll have to try this out on overheads as I've only ever done it on guitars!

 

[Habsburgs]

I would have to disagree.
From a psychoacoustics point of view the EQed sound will make your overall mix seem louder than the duller guitar in the mix.
Also, you may think the EQed sound is too bright and the original is "fatter"
Hearing is very much based on contrast.

i just think that from the get go the guitar were pretty harsh and slightly undergained, then you added that wide hishelft at 2.5k maybe its just me. you should post the mp3 files for comparison

 

[spyroid]

This must be done to almost every track in the mix to free freq space for the other instruments. Clean up the mud freq and maybe boost some if the track needs it. I Like to add some in the high-mid on the mid track and leave the sides. Not every time of course. Nice tutorial. It is the first think new mixers (including my self) must learn to do. Guitars are pain in the ass because the take many freq from bottom to top.

 

[mharwood]

Thanks for the video! Aside from learning/practicing guitar EQ, the thing that has helped me the most is just having a simple MIDI control surface. I'm pretty comfortable using the mouse for almost everything else, but successfully EQ-ing anything even moderately tricky seems to be a major PITA without physical knobs to turn.

 

[TPMusic]

Instead of doing what I normally do, which still sounds good and is basically the same thing, I decided to EQ some guitars in a song I was working on basically following along to the video. And I definitely feel like the guitars in that song sound better. The thing that really helped the most was that wide boost... I will definitely do that more often haha.

 

[melovine]

Thank you man, this is very well-done video! I would love to see a video like this for overheads on drums.

 

[DullElysium]

Just wanted to give you a big thank you. I tried this technique briefly and the tracks were definitely more pleasing to my ears after some sculpting. I also have to thank you for the new57_API impulse response. It sounds much more like a real cab than anything I've had before. Great for rehearsing at home.

 

[mickrich]

hey mickrich. thanks a lot. do you mind me posting that on youtube.com? showing YOUR credits of course!

Sorry. Missed this.
Sure. No problem. Just link my Facebook in my sig.
Thanks